News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-07-28
DRAGGED DOWN TO DEATH
REPTILE-INFEST HOLES IN
\ GEROGIA SWAMP.
The Story Told by Southern
Sportsman.

81 have lived in Southern Georgia,
near Okeinokee Swamp, for n long
time, and 1 have seen great many
strange things while hunting in that
swamp, but the most terrible ordeal OF
my life was passed in that swamp ON the
occasion of my last alligator hunt, which
Is now over thirty We rs ago. OkefinO,
kec Swamp is very large tract or waste
which extends over considerable por-
ton of Southern Georgia and part OF
Florida. The swamp is in a great many
places very dense but here and there in
the very densest parts you Will find
clearings that extend perhaps hundred
yards square. These olearings are not
discernible until you are right close to
them, as the underground and the over
shadowing trees make it impossible to
see far ahead of you. Such clearings
are frequently covered with mud and
water foot deep, and sometimes in the
centre you find-if you are unlucky
enough to try to wade through it-holes
more like wells.
''These holes are not more than ten
or fifteen yards wide, and are often so
deep that it is impossible to fathom
them, so that death is inevitable when
ever person happens to get into one OF
them. Such holes are all the more de-
lusive since they do not show their
depth on the surface, nor do they have
anything to denote their existence.
''Oketinokee Swamp abounds in ALI
gators, and l was one of a party bent
upon alligator hunting one day in the
early spring of 1853. In some parts of
the swamp it is possible to row boat
for many miles before you have to go on
foot, and ON the occasion referred to we
went as far possible in our boat, getting
out at a point not far from the Florida
line and proceeding on foot. There
were four in our party-a negro to row
the boat, an Enslishman named Dutton
and q friend of his WHO had only arrived
a short time before. button was a
clever fellow, generous to fault, and a
splendid marksman. During his stay
with me we had been on many hunts
and in many tight places, and no mat
ter how great the danger he never lost
his presence of mind.
''In order to kill an alligator with a
rife 1t IS necessary to pierce its eyes,
and [ never saw Button miss but once.
'When We landed Dutton went in
frCnt, his friend near him, then came
the old negro and l closed up in the
rear. We travelled on for about two
miles, when the swamp became so dense
1t seemed We could not go much further,
and as it was getting late in the evening
we called halt and determined to 90
back to our boat before night caught us
IN the swamp. We were all ready to go
except Dutton, who had gone some dis
lance ahead of US and was ont of sight.
II told the old darby to hurry ahead
and tell him to return, and he had Just
started in obedience to my command
when the blood in my veins was chilled
by an awful shrek for help. If I live
for hundred years [ shall never forget
that CRY. It seemed to come from the
direction to the right of us-a direction
which none of us had gone and which
DuttOn could only have taken by turn
ing away from the line we had decided |
TO travel when We started out.
cas- the last note of that awful cry |
died away the old darby who had started |
away to do my bidding seemed para, w
edand became so weak he could hardly |
stand. The only words [ could hear
from his half open lips as / rushed past |
him in the direction of the cry were,
It's no use ter go after him, master; it's
no USE
buttons friend followed me quickly,
and we had not gone more than hun
dred yards when a sight met my eyes
the like of which / would rather under
go death than again to encounter. In |
an open space in front OF me was |
what appeared to be a marshy stretch.
1t looked like its bottom was right on
the surface, and I would have ATTEMPTED
to wade across across it without hesita-
tation except for the sight before me.
In the midst of this marshy lake was
button struggling as if with some invis-
ible power that was drawing him down
ward. 1t was only an instant until l
discerned what it was that was drawing |
my friend into this awful trap of death. |
Around his body, coiled in sickening |
masses, were reptiles of every descrip- |
ton with which Okefinokee Swamp |
abounds, and his cries were piteous. |
When we first saw him he was at the |
edge of the hole, but by the tine we
reached the scene the reptiles had pulled
him, struggling as he was, into the CEN
tire, and to reach him without the assis-
lance of pole was impossible. / looked
around me, but could not see anything
that could possibly reach out to the
drowning man. The space for hun
bred yards was as clear as could be. 1t
was growing dark, which added horror
30 the scene, and every moment button
was being drawn lower into the bottom
less pit. I hallOoed to him and implored
him to make desperate effort to come
nearer to the edge, so that 1 could reach
him. He had sunk up to his shoulders
b this time, and when he did not an
swer me I looked to see the reason.
"a large snake had coiled itself round
his neck and had drawn tighter and
tighter until Dutton was black in the
face and unable to speak. In another
instant he went down, taking the mass
of squirming reptiles with him, leaving
nothing but a bubble on the surface to
denote the terrible struggle that had
taken place. turned to buttons friend,
who had not said word mp to this time,
and motioned him to lead the way on to
our boat. 1 was so sick from the sight
l had seen [ was hardly able to stand.
We managed to get back to where the
old negro was. He had not stirred a
step, and still had that scared look on
his face.
81